1

Katarina Book
Dr. Brost
ENG 301
4/22/15
Happiness: Complexity Revealed
You have recently attained your dream job; you are a doctor, a CEO of some highly
influential company, an astronaut, a scientist. You are now making over two hundred thousand
dollars a year, after taxes. Your parents brag to their friends about your phenomenal
accomplishments, your spouse has quit his/her job to take care of the children, and your friends
are envious and impressed by your success. You are able to buy that pink bicycle your daughter
has been hounding you about and a shiny, new Play Station for your brilliant son. Everything you
ever thought you needed and wanted is just a swipe of the credit card away. There is nothing
stopping you from living a life of pure luxury and bliss. You are completely stunned with joy and
happiness now.
Having everything you want and need is certainly a goal of many if not most people,
particularly in developed countries. People are taught to believe that once they have reached their
goals, especially ones that provide great wealth and prosperity, they will obtain a certain
happiness that should not or will not subside. Of course, negative circumstances such as the
death of a loved one will temporarily deflate happiness, but those acquisitions and personal
achievements received prior or after unfortunate events are bound to snap people back to that
high level of happiness. Obtaining great sums of money; buying a luxurious, new car; receiving a
highly envied award, position, or status; and anything else similar to these conditions will surely
bring all the happiness anyone would ever want and need. Right?

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We may believe this as a societyadvertisements and portrayals of people in the media

further enforce these idealsbut happiness is more complex than people may think. Continued
research, particularly results obtained from observing twins, suggests that only ten percent of the
differences in our happiness levels are influenced by circumstances (Belic). This means that the
vast majority is affected by things other than money, status, acquisition, personal achievements,
image, and negative circumstances. It is believed that half of what affects the changes in our
levels of happiness is determined by genes, and the remaining forty percent is shaped by the
individuals intentional behaviors. The genetic portion that influences our happiness levels is not
necessarily limited to just genes, though that is the major component. Certain chemicals in our
brains and mental choices/abilities are included in this category as well. The remaining forty
percent that is said to be determined by intentional behaviors is also greatly affected by the
people around us. It is important to understand where true, long-lasting happiness and
contentment derive from in order to obtain it. Happiness is a complex discipline that relies less
on circumstances and more on other stimuli briefly discussed above, such as genes, chemicals in
our brains, mental choices and abilities, intentional behaviors, and the people that surround us.
Genetics is what contributes the most to our levels of happiness. Think about the people
that surround you. Do you know people who are pessimistic or are just difficult characters in
general? What about optimistic individuals? Do you know anyone who is always happy, always
smiling and loving life? Everyone probably has these people in their lives or have met
individuals who seem too optimistic or too pessimistic, thus making their personalities
practically unbearable. A lot of times siblings fall into these opposite categories, where one
always seems to be happy and the other angry or simply less optimistic. People have varying
personalities, where certain stimuli seems to have different effects on their happiness levels;

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individuals with a positive propensity, such as optimism, may evaluate their subjective
happiness level and daily life events more positively than others who experience a similar
number of positive life events (Matsunaga). People who are positive tend to stay happier even
through negative circumstances. It is believed that everyone has a happiness set-point, or
baseline, from which our moods and happiness levels will fluctuate in response to immediate
circumstances and events (Nes). This baseline is different for everyone because it is determined
by our genes.
One genetic study on a large group of males sought to discover whichC allele carriers
or individuals with TT genotypesif any, responded more or less positively to a certain number
of differing stimuli, one being a short film containing the subjects favorite actress. Subsequent
to these experiments, it was found that the C allele carriers exhibited a higher level of pleasure
from watching the short films and from the other experiments than those with TT genotypes, thus
suggesting that C allele carriers may have a higher subjective happiness level (Matsunaga). The
results from these experimentations plus others that are just as complex and even more so
which may not be as complicated if one is well informed about genetics and their differing
components and are thus able to follow along with the results and statisticssuggest that genetic
traits are, in fact, closely correlated with happiness.
Along with genetic capacities, certain chemicals in our brains affect our levels of
happiness. One neurotransmitter, called dopamine, is largely responsible for pleasure and
happiness. It is linked with the brains complex system of motivation and reward and helps the
body function smoothly ("What Is Dopamine?"). However, when there is an unnatural level or
deficit of this particular neurotransmitter, it can cause serious problems ranging from Parkinsons

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disease to Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Physical activities are the best ways to release
dopamine, which is an intentional behavior that affects the genetic portion of happiness.
Other important neurotransmitters that directly affect our happiness levels include
excitatory neurotransmitters that actually have an opposite effect on happinessbeing
messengers of stress, pressure, worry, and anxietyand inhibitory neurotransmitters, such as
serotonin, that seem to calm us, make us feel more content, tranquil, and happy (Morris).
Serotonin, in particular, may be the most influential chemical when it comes to happiness and
contentment. Most of our brain cells are influenced either directly or indirectly by serotonin.
This includes brain cells related to mood, sexual desire and function, appetite, sleep, memory and
learning, temperature regulation, and some social behavior (Bouchez). Serotonin is
manufactured in the brain, but the majority can be found in our digestive tracts and in our blood
platelets, which makes what we eat a very important contributor to our moods at a chemical
level. Certain foods such as spinach, bananas, and turkey have folate or tryptophan that converts
into serotonin in the brain (Morris).
When people have unnatural levels of serotonin, it leads to a chemical imbalance that can
and does lead to depression, anxiety issues, panic disorders, and excess anger. While depression
can simply be a problem associated with genetics and pessimism or an inability (or decision not)
to raise ones level of happiness and contentment, it is also affected by an imbalance in our
chemical levels, both the excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters. While someone may seem
to have everything they need and want, and can even be the wealthiest person on the planet, he or
she can still become depressed and have other excitatory problems. It may be hard to believe that
a millionaire could have depression, anxiety issues, or panic disorders, but think about all the
celebrities that have suffered from depression and have even committed suicide as a result. Robin

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Williams, a famous actor beloved by many because of his humor and the movies he played in,
recently committed suicide because of depression and apparently having developed Parkinsons
disease, which as mentioned before is a problem associated with a deficit in dopamine. Other
known celebrities that have allegedly taken their own lives because of depression and similar
problems include: Ernest Hemingway, Marilyn Monroe, Tony Scott (director of Top Gun), and
Kurt Cobain, Nirvanas front man. There are over a hundred more cases of celebrity suicides, but
these are a few of the most known examples. Just because they were wealthy and deemed
successful did not mean they could avoid depressive issues and maintain happiness.
Another component of genetics that affects our levels of happiness is what I am referring
to as our mental choices and abilities. Optimism and pessimism have already been brought up
but not explained as a choice. Our genes make us lean toward one or the other, or even
somewhere in between, but we are capable of altering which side we gravitate towards. An
optimistic person can choose to not be optimistic anymore and vice versa. It can take a lot of
work to move from a pessimistic attitude to a more optimistic one, depending on how grounded
in personality and genetics that propensity is, but altering our seemingly grounded attitudes is
possible. Positive or negative tendencies can be affected and changed by the types of goals
people choose to focus on. If an individual is to focus more on extrinsic goalsmoney, image,
and statusthen he or she is more likely to report less satisfaction with life and more depression,
anxiety, and feelings of lethargy. Focusing on intrinsic goals insteadpersonal growth,
relationships, and a desire to helphelps that person to be more satisfied with his or her life and
report less depression, etc. (Belic).
One last contributor of the genetic portion of happiness is something called flow. This
term simply means to be in the zone, wishing you could go on forever while nothing else seems

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to matter. Everyone has probably experienced flow before, whether it occurred while
participating in a sporting event, being wrapped up in a videogame or some hobby, or even on
the job. Sometimes flow happens randomly. You could be at school, doing homework and yet
be completely happy while doing so. You could be flipping burgers at McDonalds or reaching
toward the next nook while rock climbing. You could even be doing nothing, just sitting
somewhere enjoying the weather. Being in the zone is a mental ability but also branches into the
next category: intentional behaviors.
Forty percent of what affects our levels of happiness is affected by a plethora of
intentional behaviors. Doing things we love to do is essential when it comes to happiness and an
overall contentment with life. Some things people may love to do can include physical activities
such as basketball, rock climbing, and surfing; hobbies like cooking, photography, and DIY
projects; spending time with friends and family, particularly individuals we are especially close
to; helping others; playing games or watching television; and relaxing, outside amongst nature or
even in a bathtub. Having new experiences, such as riding a rollercoaster for the first time or
seeing a new location like Niagara Falls or the Coliseum in Rome, are important as well. Without
new experiences or doing things in novel ways, life gets boring, and ones level of happiness will
remain stagnant or even decline. Meaningful achievements, such as finishing a novel you have
been working on for years or quitting a bad habit, can definitely add to ones level of happiness,
especially with acknowledgement and encouragement from others. Respecting yourself, keeping
a healthy diet and lifestyle, doing things that are meaningful, appreciating what you have,
practicing certain virtues such as gratitude, and so many more intentional behaviors and attitudes
contribute to happiness.

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Being a part of something bigger than yourself is a huge contributor to this segment of
happiness. This can also be thought of as giving your life meaning, which could come in one
specific cause or in a number of things. People who believe that their lives have meaning tend to
be happier and healthier, having a more optimistic view of life and their role in it. It is a vital
component of happiness and wellbeing (Be Part of Something Bigger). At one point or
another, everyone questions life. People ask why they are even here or what the point of living is.
Answering these questions and figuring out what it is that keeps us here or what someones
calling is brings about happiness.
One way people find meaning is by being a part of an organization or cause that is
important to the individual. For someone who has lost a loved one to cancer, finding the cure
might be vital to them. A person with this desire could join certain organizations and/or do things
to help others suffering from such illnesses, whether directly or indirectly. This could come in the
form of care packages, donations, visitations, encouragement or advice, or something else
entirely. Or, if you are someone who has a passion for nature, joining organizations that revolve
around conservation and saving endangered species could give ones life meaning. These are
only two examples. There is a surplus of varying topics someone may be strongly opinionated or
passionate about that includes but is not limited to: poverty, abused animals, wounded veterans,
world hunger, and texting while driving.
Another way to make your life meaningful and to be a part of something bigger than
yourself is through structured religion. There is growing evidence of the strong association
between religious participation and a host of positive outcomes including lower crime rates and
less delinquency, but also with family life, volunteering, health including mental wellbeing, and
civic participation (Atherton). There is a significant positive link between happiness and being a

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part of and participating in a religious sect. Religious individuals have different values than nonreligious people, such as the desire to be the best that they can in order to make it to heaven.
They dwell more on this rather than material blessings and misfortunes. With a focus on the
future where a peaceful life after death triumphs trials and hardships in this life, people tend to
view their situations more positively and are generally happier individuals. Even through hard
times, religious people tend to bounce back quicker and have a brighter outlook on their
situations. One of the key ingredients of happiness is to recover quickly from adversity (Belic).
Being a part of a religious group brings that elasticity, which is important in remaining happy.
Also, when loved ones die, there is a crowd of fellow believers and friends who help each
other through the hardships. In movies and in real life you see examples of people being
comforted by members of their church during and after tragedies, funerals, and times of sorrow.
Though not all churches or individuals within a particular church are happy or helpful, research
shows that church affiliation is a significant, but weak, predictor of happinessweak only
because of slightly religious respondents not reporting higher levels of happiness due to their low
levels of dedication (Francis). It is also very encouraging to be around like-minded individuals
who share similar values and beliefs. The classical view on happinessliving a good, morally
correct life and behaving in a proper mannercontinues to bring structure and happiness,
particularly when shared with other individuals.
Meditation and relaxation are other important intentional behaviors. Some cultures take
meditating practices more seriously than others, which can contribute to their higher levels of
overall contentment and happiness. Mediation can be religious, such as prayer and reflecting on
religious ideals, or can simply be done to improve or even change ones life. If you meditate on

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certain behaviors, such as compassion, you can become a more compassionate person and so on.
You can literally change your brain through meditation (Belic).
Meditation practices may be difficult to master or are just not something you are
interested in trying. It is important, however, to include relaxation in your busy schedules. Some
alone time is essential when it comes to avoiding insanity, especially if you have been extra busy
with work and etcetera or if you have been overly stressed. Relaxing can come in many different
forms. If you are a nature person or just enjoy being in the outdoors, taking walks or watching
the clouds can be easy ways to relax. Bathing or showering, swimming, watching television,
spending a lazy evening with your significant over, going on vacationthough sometimes this
backfires and ends up being more stressful than relaxingand doing yoga are other good ways
to relax.
The influence of other people is arguably the largest contributor to the intentional
behavior segment of happiness. Social bonding is important (Belic). We are social people, so it
is essential to have stable relationships with others. Spending time with family and friends,
especially those we are particularly close to or have an intimate relationship with, influences our
happiness levels a great deal. It is always good to have people around that share common
interests and will participate in certain events and activities with you. No one wants to be alone
or do everything by themselves. People need one another to boost and maintain our happiness
levels. A significant othera girlfriend, boyfriend, or spousegives you someone to go to
during hard or trying times. They can be your encourager, someone you can always lean or count
on, that one person who understands you more than anyone else. A best friend or family member
can also take up these roles. If you have children, you know that even though they can be
extremely difficult at times (or all the time) they bring happiness and joy into your life as well.

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They can be a stress reliever after a long day of work or your little buddies you can spend Friday
evenings with. It is extremely important to have these people in your life. Even looking at ones
favorite person evokes positive emotions (Matsunaga). This shows just how influential other
people are to our happiness levels.
Helping others is also very important when trying to obtain happiness. Not only are you
able to interact with others in this process, which as mentioned above is a crucial element of
happiness, but the actual act of helping makes you feel important, elevates moods and your selfimage, and often reaps rewards. Mood elevation from helping is associated with a release of
serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin, a compassion hormone that reinforces even more helping
behavior (Stuart). Serotonin was discussed earlier, so you know the positive effects of this
neurotransmitter and why it is so important when it comes to maintaining and elevating our
happiness levels. There is also something called the helpers high that many people experience
when helping others, which greatly increases their levels of happiness. Thirteen percent of people
even experience an alleviation of aches and pains in the simple act of helping others. This is
especially important in older individuals or those who have certain ailments that make their
joints and bodies hurt.
One last component of the intentional behaviors segment and the influence of other
people is co-housing communities or living in close-knit neighborhoods. Co-housing
communities are especially popular in places like Ireland and the Netherlands. Large, extended
families often live in separate houses on the same piece of land or even in the same building.
This concept goes hand-in-hand with helping others and having close relationships with people
because of the collaboration and time spent together. People in co-housing communities are
happier and less stressed than others because they work together on everything, especially in the

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providing of necessities and in the preparation of meals. Also, when you live in a community,
your mindset switches from what dont I have to what can I share, an important element in
understanding and maintaining happiness (Belic). This shift in mindset is not as strong in
neighborhoods, but people who do live in close-knit areas tend to be happier, provided they
accept and utilize their neighbors. Being able to walk next door for some advice or to borrow
some sugar rather than running to the store can be a huge advantage that relieves stress and gives
you the opportunity to grow strong relationships with others.
The final ten percent of what contributes to our overall levels of happiness are positive
and negative circumstances. Western civilizations in particular have been socialized to believe
that this tiny percent is actually much larger. Many of us, if not most, would believe that the
majority of the changes in our happiness levels is determined by such circumstances: personal
achievements, acquisition of a higher salary or just money in general, material attainments,
status, image, and unfortunate events. People may believe this because of advertisements and
slogans that have put so much emphasis on the connection of happiness to things and money,
such as Coca-Colas open happiness and any commercial or magazine with rich people in it or
on its cover who are always smiling and happy. Nearly any advertisement, especially on
television, socializes people to believe that happiness is strongly correlated with personal
achievements and acquisition. These messages often contain other cultural mythssuch as the
American Dream, rags to riches tales, the melting pot, and equalitythat further enforce the idea
of happiness being strongly related to circumstances. Of course people will want to believe this
when it is so strongly rooted in our goals and aspirations as a nation. America was built on
happiness and freedom, on obtaining the American Dream.

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Or if you do not believe the media has such a strong impact on you, surely what you feel
and experience when certain circumstances occur has made you believe happiness is greatly
affected by negative and positive stimuli. There is a great surge or dip in happiness when things
happen, good or bad. We feel the gust of happiness when we get married or receive that huge
promotion. We feel the blow of sorrow and numbing depression when a loved one has died or
when we have lost our only source of income. These are real feelings we have all experienced
except, perhaps, not to such extremesso it makes sense to believe there is a strong relationship
between circumstances and our levels of happiness.
Situational influences, nonetheless, are only strong predictors of happiness on a shortterm basis. Feelings of great happiness obtained from acquisitions and personal achievements
will level out more quickly than people expect. The same goes for negative circumstances,
typically. It does not take very long for people to bounce back to their happiness set-points.
Temporary boosts or falls recede quickly into the background. People end up adapting to
acquisition and personal achievements and often want more, making them less happy in the long
run. Environmental influences are important, but primarily individual-specific and do not
generally exert long-lasting redirection or enduring changes (Nes). People will, however, obtain
greater levels of happiness when certain acquisitions and achievements bring them out of
burdens, such as starvation or not being able to provide for their families. But once people have
met their basic needs, obtaining more money or physical things do not buy more happiness.
If acquisition and achievements did contribute a lot to happiness, we would see a
significant change in our countrys overall happiness level because of our prosperity and being
twice as rich as we had been in the mid-1900s. Instead, happiness has remained stagnant,
suggesting that aggregate income does not affect happiness as we would think it does.

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Happiness does not correlate with income in the long-term (Wren). Instead of a rise in
happiness, our country has suffered from the rise of divorce rates, a rise in social breakdown, and
greater social and individual distress.
People are not happier even with the sizable fortunes our country has encountered these
past few decades. Even individuals who have risen to the top one percent and have obtained
millions, even billions, of dollars are not reporting high levels of happiness we would expect
from a great influence of circumstances. Consider the celebrities mentioned before who had
committed suicide despite their substantial fortunes. Not all celebrities are necessarily rich
though, having wasted their fortunes or just do not receive as much as we assume, so other
considerably rich individuals should be studied as well. One millionaire stated:
If we can get people just a little bit more informed, so they know that
getting $20 million or $200 million wont necessarily bring them all that
theyd hoped for, then maybe theyd concentrate instead on things that
would make the world a better place and could help to make them truly
happy. (Frank)

This statement, plus many more, suggests that money and acquisition do not buy happiness as we
have been programmed to believe.
When one focuses on intrinsic goals instead of extrinsic ones, such as the desire to
acquire a substantial level of wealth, they can improve their levels of happiness and in turn
improve several other aspects of their lives. Happy people tend to function better, are healthier,
and live longer (Belic). Being happier helps you to obtain other goals and become more curious
about life, more sociable, helpful, creative, and willing to try new things (Stuart). But on the flipside, over-valuing happiness causes problems instead of helping people obtain the desired levels

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of happiness. Over-valuing it can actually bring about an increase in depressive symptoms, a

decrease in well-being, and makes the attainment of happiness less likely. It is essential to
understand where happiness actually comes from in order to truly obtain it, but it is also
important to realize the consequences of focusing on happiness to an extreme degree. Forty
percent of our happiness levels is in our own handswe are capable of increasing and changing
our happiness set-pointsbut trying too hard and over-valuing happiness will not help anyone
change their happiness levels.
Happiness is a complex construct traditionally thought of as being a result of positive
circumstances and greatly affected by negative stimuli. In reality, happiness is only marginally
affected by positive and negative circumstances. Our genetics and other chemical or mental
factors, such as serotonin and the goals we choose to focus on, contribute to half of the changes
in our happiness levels. Forty percent of what influences our levels of happiness is in our own
handsdoing things we love and choose to do, being a part of something bigger than ourselves
like a certain cause and/or religion, mediation and relaxation, and the influence of otherswhich
leaves the remaining ten percent to the positive and negative stimuli we typically think
contributes the most to our happiness levels. People, particularly in Western cultures, focus too
much on extrinsic goals that only provide temporary happiness instead of intrinsic goals that
offers long-lasting contentment and happiness. It is important to understand the difference and
know what actually contributes to our happiness levels in order to become truly happy.

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Works Cited
Atherton, John. Introductory essay: developing an overview as context and future. The
Practices of Happiness. Ed. John Atherton, Elaine Graham, and Ian Steedman. New York
City: Routledge, 2011. PDF file.
"Be Part of Something Bigger." Action for Happiness. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.
Belic, Roko, dir. Happy. Wadi Run Films, Inc., 2011. Film.
Bouchez, Colette. "Serotonin: 9 Questions and Answers." WebMD. WebMD, LLC., n.d. Web. 25
Apr. 2015.
Coraci, Frank, dir. Click. Columbia Pictures, 2006. Film.
Fissi, Martina. "Should Happiness Guide Social Policy?." South African Journal Of Philosophy
33.4 (2014): 473-485. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
Ford, Brett Q., et al. "Desperately Seeking Happiness: Valuing Happiness Is Associated With
Symptoms And Diagnosis Of Depression." Journal Of Social & Clinical Psychology
33.10 (2014): 890-905. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
Francis, Leslie. Religion and happiness: perspectives from the psychology of religion, positive
psychology and empirical theology. Essay 8. The Practices of Happiness. Ed. John
Atherton, Elaine Graham, and Ian Steedman. New York City: Routledge, 2011. PDF file.
Frank, Robert. "Don't Envy the Super-Rich, They Are Miserable." The Wall Street Journal. N.p.,
9 Mar. 2011. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.
Giorgino, Vincenzo. The Pursuit of Happiness and the Traditions of Wisdom. Cham: Springer,
2014. PDF file.

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Grenholm, Carl-Henric. "Happiness, wellfare and capabilities." Essay 2. The Practices of

Happiness. Ed. John Atherton, Elaine Graham, and Ian Steedman. New York City:
Routledge, 2011. PDF file.
Holcroft, Thomas. "Human Happiness; or the Sceptic." ProQuest Literature Online. ProQuest,
n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
Ingrasci, Zach, Sean Leonard, and Chris Temple, dirs. Living on One Dollar. Creative Visions,
2013. Film.
Matsunaga, Masahiro, et al. "Genetic Variations In The Human Cannabinoid Receptor Gene Are
Associated With Happiness." Plos ONE 9.4 (2014): 1-6. Academic Search Premier. Web.
13 Mar. 2015.
Morris, L. "Food: Its Effects on Your Happiness at the Chemical Level." Wandering Through
My Pondering Mind. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2015.
Nes, Ragnhild Bang. "Happiness In Behaviour Genetics: Findings And Implications." Journal Of
Happiness Studies 11.3 (2010): 369-381. Academic Search Premier. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.
Northcott, Michael. Fair Trade and human wellbeing. Essay 7. The Practices of Happiness.
Ed. John Atherton, Elaine Graham, and Ian Steedman. New York City: Routledge, 2011.
PDF file.
Stuart, Annie. "Happiness: 6 Myths and Truths." WebMD. WebMD LLC, n.d. Web. 4 Mar. 2015.
"What Is Dopamine?" wiseGEEK. Conjecture Corporation, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2015.
Wren-Lewis, Sam. "How Successfully Can We Measure Well-Being Through Measuring
Happiness?." South African Journal Of Philosophy 33.4 (2014): 417-432. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.